I was raised in Fresno, California until age 13. For sure, I and my siblings and friends pretty much thought it was the coolest place on Earth next to LA. And LA was only cooler because it had the beaches. That was why all the movie stars were there.

At eleven, I started smoking. Not really so odd at the time. Maybe just a teeny bit young, but I did have an older sister…. One evening, my sister, her best friend and I went driving around.